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 Jacob Blake, a father of three, was shot by a Kenosha police officer on Aug. 23 after the police were called for an alleged domestic disturbance. When the police officer arrived as Blake was reaching in his car, he was shot seven times in the back while his three kids were in the back seat. 

   This event caught many people’s attention around the country, especially people involved in the Black Lives Matter movement. The Black Lives Matter movement is an organization dedicated to fighting against racial injustice and to helping bring about racial equality. Many people believe that Blake’s race motivated the police officer to shoot him. 

   Isa Sanchez is a Westerville South High School student and Black Lives Matter activist.  

   “How could this situation be a result of anything but racial profiling? Jacob Blake was unarmed and trying to break up a fight,” said Sanchez.    

    Speculations also arose that Blake was armed. Allegedly, he was refusing police arrest and had a knife in his car. He was leaning into the door of his car when he was shot.

   Many activists, including Emoni Finch, think Blake’s death could’ve been dealt with in a different way. 

    “The police [officer] could’ve just asked him what happened. He didn’t have to go straight to judgement,” said Finch.

   The incident sparked massive protests in Kenosha. While activists are demanding change, many of the protests have been peaceful, others have involved burning down buildings and looting. 

   Adam Dross, the school resource officer at North, gave his take on the recent protests. 

   “No, I’m all for the rallies and protests, but the fires and destruction outweigh the message they’re trying to portray,” Dross said.

   Many believe the media has focused disproportionately on the damage caused by some of the protests. 

   “The media doesn’t want to show peaceful protesting because they want to keep viewing black peoples as dangerous so that their actions can be justified,” Sanchez said.

   Peaceful protesting in the wake of the shooting has taken many forms. For example, different sports teams are protesting by refusing to play. For example, the NBA team Milwaukee Bucks decided to not participate in their playoff game that was scheduled for 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26. The NBA decided to postpone that game.

   Activists around the country are continuing to protest in a variety of ways for Blake’s justice and for their voices to be heard concerning racial injustices. 

   “Until the murder of innocent black people is seen as unjust and unacceptable, all options of protesting are on the table,” Sanchez said.

   Blake’s story has sparked numerous protests across the country dedicated to spreading his story, bringing awareness and an end to the racial injustice many people similar to Blake experience throughout their daily lives.